After The Beach
by XxBlaiddxX
Summary: Set Post Journey's End. Doctor mark 2 gets settled with Rose, while they both are conflicted. lol, not very original...My first attempt at a long fic. Rose's POV. NewDoctor/Rose Ten/Rose


It is hard.

I love my Doctor. I really, really do. He's...everything I probably could ever want in a man. But it doesn't feel right. I don't....I don't feel at ease around him. I don't know this man.

Yeah, I know. He's tried to prove to me time and again that he was the same man. IS the same man. But it doesn't feel right. It doesn't feel right to see him lounge around the flat wearing sweatpants and a t-shirt-If anything, it just looks ridiculous. For 2 years I lived with this man, (or one very much like him) and maybe TWICE I saw him out of his suit. Tuxes and jacket off doesn't count. It almost feels dirty and wrong to see him without his hair quaffed, perfectly shaved and in a sparkling crisp suit.

I know time will help heal the gap. But we're both getting older. I've never been so acutely aware of the time alloted to me. I feel the seconds tick past and scramble to hold on to them. I'm not old. WE'RE not old. We're not even middle aged. But I know if one of us doesn't make a new move, this relationship is going to be going on a fast, one-way train to no-where.

Chapter 1: Issues

I suppose I should start at the beginning. And by the beginning, I mean, day 1. Yup, Middle o' Norway. Mum called Dad (I can't believe we got cell reception!) To come pick us up. At first, he was going to send a private jet, but both Mum and I agreed that some time in a car for a few days would be beneficial. We agreed that A LOT needed to be talked about, and a car trip would be...sort of spiritual.

So Dad sent my little brother to my grandma's, and brought the old jeep by jet and drove us back to London himself.

We agreed, on the long road trip back from Norway, that we (The Doctor and I) would pick up where we left off. I knew what was going through my Mum's head. She was planning a wedding already. She was already picking out baby-booties for our future children in her head.

The Doctor and I sat in the back seat, for a long while silent. We had just left Bad Wolf Bay for the last time. I knew in my heart that I would never ever see that place again.

We had only been on the road for an hour. I plastered my face against the back right window, willing the tears not to come. I hadn't even bothered with a seatbelt. There was nothing by farmland and cows to the right, and if I had had the courage to look round to the opposite window, I'm sure I would see the same there, too.

You know, The Doctor doesn't miss a beat. I had realized this long ago. One day, several years ago, a little boy was tagging along with us. I had so much pity for him, and he had such a sad story. But the Doctor was cold and distant to him, and at every opportunity tried to ditch the child. I was so mad at him, until later we both discovered that he had been an assassin sent to execute the Doctor and I. I would have never in a million years have ever expected that the innocent looking child wasn't everything he appeared to be. But The Doctor? He wasn't fooled for a moment.

I never doubted him after that. And I knew, at that moment in the car, he knew exactly how I was feeling, and how I was barely restraining my tears.

I felt a hand on my shoulder, rubbing gently. His grip tightened and he pulled me slightly towards him. With no seatbelt and leather seats, I slid quite easily across the backseat. he put his am around my waist and laid my head in his lap. My eyes Squeezed shut, I burrowed my face into the waist of his suit and bit my tongue hard. He stroked my hair, and the more comforting he was, the more I felt like bawling and sobbing. I finally let it out, pulling myself up to his chest, my arms around him. I knew my parents were in the front seat, but I couldn't care less. I lifted my head up and put my wet cheek up against his dry one and spoke into his ear. It really doesn't matter what I said.

When you're crying, here's nothing more comforting then to have someone kiss your cheek and stroke the back of your head. I hiccuped and hyperventilated for a minute, and then closed my eyes, suddenly very tired.

Two hours later, (After I had Woken up!) I was practically making diagrams of my flat, mapping out sleeping arrangements, where I worked, (Torchwood) and where he could probably work, (Unit) and stuff in general. It was all suddenly so exciting and new. There were so many things that I almost said aloud, then realized that some things weren't Mum and Dad's business in the least.

We did nothing but talk, all the way back to London. All four of us! Huge conversations and debates. Every 5 hours Dad and The Doctor switched driving, and every 15 hours we stopped and slept at roadside motels. 3 rooms. One for mum and dad, and then we had separate ones. The third and final night, after no sleep for 3 hours, I got up and padded softly to the next room over, which was the Doctor's. I tried the door and it opened immediately. He was sitting in a chair, eyes half open. He opened them all the way in surprise when he saw me. He half-smiled and said:

"I can't get used to sleep. I mean, I sleep-slept, I mean, But not this much. And not this fast."

I smiled and pulled the other chair in the room right up against his.

"There's a lot that we couldn't talk about in the car," I paused, bit my lip, and looked at him. He was looking at me, holding his head in his hands, elbows propped up on the arms of the chair.

"A lot that needs saying." I finished.

"Can't It wait?"

"Yeah, yeah it can." "But it needs to be talked about, sooner, rather than later."

****

I pushed everyone out of bed at 5 AM the next morning, leaving early was my top priority! We didn't even stop for breakfast! You see, we were so close to home, that I just couldn't wait.-couldn't wait to get back to my place! I don't have a mansion, but I have a house on the main estate, mostly devoted to alien artifacts. It was crammed full of specimens! I couldn't wait to show him. There were so many things I couldn't wait for! I tried to contain my excitement on the way there, but I had just remembered something that I knew would make the Doctor VERY happy. Someone that I know I wanted to share with him.

****

We all pulled into the drive at half past 8 PM, tired and exhausted from the long cramped day of driving, with very few breaks. The Doctor, Dad, and I helped carry in luggage, while Mum rushed ahead. Gran came to the front door with Jason. Mum swooped him up and squeezed him hard.

"Oooh, I missed you so much sweetheart!"

We all tramped in and set the bags down on the marble floor. Then we sort of just stood around. I felt sorry for the Doctor, for once he looked awkward and out of place, even though I knew his place was with this family.

I struggled to break the silence:

"Doctor, this is Tony you've heard so much about!"

"Hello little fellow!" Bending down, he smiled wide at Tony and shook his hand.

"Oh, and my Gran!" "Gran, this is the Doctor."

She looked at him like she'd seen a ghost.

"You...you FOUND him? Really? THE man?" Gran was a romantic, and my most used confidant. I wasn't surprised by her reaction at all.

"Yup," I said with a grin.

"Lovely to meet you, Mrs. Prentice," The Doctor said, Shaking her hand vigorously.

"Please, I'm Gran to everyone." She smiled though, obviously pleased.

"Dad, I don't suppose I can keep the jeep overnight? I'll drive it back over in the morning." I gave him my best impression of a puppy.

He gave me his best impression of a concerned father, and with a moan promptly gave in.

"Oh all right, but first thing in the morning! And I want her back without a scratch!"

"Thanks, Dad."

I turned to everyone and said,

"I'm sorry everybody, but I haven't been home in weeks, and I'd really like a bath! And I need to get The Doctor settled, and catch up on laundry, and-"

"Ok, ok, off with you!" Mum said, making shooing motions with her hands.

"Love you, bye, (mum and dad) be a good boy for mum, (Tony) and YOU stay outta trouble!" I pointed at Gran and we both laughed.

I took the keys from Dad and motioned to The Doctor to follow me. I opened the front door and we both stepped out into a light mist. I inhaled deeply, so happy to be home. I could feel him looking at me, and turned my head. He smiled. I smiled.

I leaned over and hugged him. He hugged back, and we stood like that for some time.

****

The drive wasn't long, my house wasn't very far away. The estate was 5 square miles, and I lived right in the middle.

We pulled up in front of the house, and I heard a sharp intake of breath from beside me. I turned and smiled at him. I knew it must be impressive.

My house was perfectly rectangular. It didn't even have a peaked roof. When it rained the water went down special pipes, was treated, filtered, and pumped into reserve tanks for drinking water, bathing water, etc. It had a beacon light on top. The front door was as tall as the house, and rectangular as well. It was paneled, and the whole thing was made to look like real wood. It was painted dark blue.

"Wait till you see the inside!"

"Is it bigger on the inside?"

"Just wait."

We got out of the car on walked to the front door. I unlocked it and stepped to the side.

"After you," I said.

He stepped into the house, and I quickly followed, wanting to see the look on his face.

The inside of my house is really magnificent. All of the walls are lined with bookshelves, and on them, books. Books on every subject, from the most interesting to most boring, biographies, fiction, non-fiction, everything. But there's something else. The average person walking into my house would probably just assume that I'm on the cutting edge of furniture fashion. But honestly, I really wouldn't know where to begin on that. I could see it in his face, though.

"T-timelord. You have Timelord furniture."

"Yeah," I said softly. "I brought it all back from Torchwood. I spent months trying to figure out where it came from. Then I realized that I recognized it. You have similar couches and chairs in the TARDIS."

"But...the Timelords are gone! They were wiped out! Nothing left!"

"Not here." He looked at me. I explained: "I mean, yes, the Timelords are gone. They were wiped from time. But in these alternate universes, things are just a little different. There are some fragments left behind. Come with me."

I opened a door in the wall and pressed a button. A glass panel slid open and I typed the combination. Then part of the wall came open and we stepped though.

In 2 minutes, we were at the bottom. We then stepped into a decontamination chamber, which did its job. When the mist cleared and the doors opened, we walked into the main room.

"We're 2 miles underground. I didn't want a mansion, but I wanted something large and private to work in. I came up with this."

He remained silent. I knew he was deep in thought.

"There's still more," I said. We walked in to the chamber more, and that's when he noticed all of the derelict spaceships. "Torchwood needed storage space, and I gladly donated some of this. I came across some of these things myself, working in the field."

I hopped on one of the mini cars I kept to get around quickly. "Coming?"

He jumped on the back and we sped off.

I parked in the zoo section. There were many specimens, some criogenecly frozen, some not. At the end, in the most protected cage, lie a lemur-like animal. It perked its head up as we approached. "I'm calling it a time lemur, but if you know its real name...?"

He shook his head then smiled. "We always called them wombys! Never really thought to find out its real name." He looked up at me. "Where? How? When?"

"It came though the rift. Like everything else seems to, too. We have it blocked off now, it's a restricted area. But anything that time has messed with and has thrown back up comes through. Things wash up everyday, like a beach. It's all we can do to keep on top of cataloging the things! But now we know that although the Timelords are most likely gone, The planet isn't. _Gallifrey_ isn't gone, Doctor," I said quietly. "You-_we_ could re-build it. I know it will never be the same, but we've got wildlife! We already have 'Womby' here in a cloning program, and more stuff is constantly coming through the rift!"

He looked at me. I wasn't sure if he was going to cry, scream or smile. He kind of did a mixture of both.

I bit my lip and hugged him. Suddenly a chill came over me. I stepped back, remembering the other Doctor. I wondered where he was. What he was feeling. I shook my head to clear it.

"I'm gonna head on up. You wanna see your room, or should I just wait for you?"

"I'll come up. I'd like to see the rest of the house."

********


End file.
